Labor supports the drought package announced today.
But it is news struggling drought affected farming families should have heard a month ago and it’s a move Labor has been urging for weeks.
Unfortunately, questions remain about the extent to which eligibility criteria will be relaxed for both the concessional loans scheme and the farm household support payment. These questions need to be clarified urgently.
The other outstanding issue is long-term drought reform, a process Labor began but the Abbott Government has not progressed in six months.
Indeed, one of the Abbott’s Governments first acts was the abolition of the COAG vehicle responsible for drought reform. Farmers deserve to know what future drought assistance measures will look like.
WEDNESDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2014
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